Implantable medical leads are used to transmit stimulation therapy energy from a stimulator to target tissue. The medical lead includes one or more electrodes located near a distal end of the lead, a connector disposed at a proximal end of the lead, and one or more conductors traveling the length of the lead to couple the electrodes to corresponding contacts in the connector. An insulating lead body covers the conductive wire to prevent unwanted tissue stimulation. A medical lead allows a stimulator to be implanted at a location remote from the target tissue or outside of the patient while retaining the ability to stimulate the target tissue via the lead.
A medical lead may be implanted by a physician through a process of tunneling the lead through tissue or guiding the lead through blood vessels. The physician continues guiding the lead until the electrodes are disposed adjacent to or within the target tissue. Once the lead is in place, the physician retrieves the proximal end of the lead and couples the connector to the stimulator. Medical leads may be implanted for a variety of stimulation applications, including cardiac stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, gastric stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, and other types of electrical stimulation therapy.
As an example, gastric stimulation may require implantation of one or more medical leads implanted to deliver stimulation to relieve gastroparesis, obesity, nausea or other diseases or disorders. After tunneling the medical lead such that one or more electrodes at the distal end of the lead are embedded within the stomach wall, a surgeon typically uses a small forceps or other grasping device to locate the proximal end of the lead and grasp the proximal end. The surgeon then pulls on the proximal end of the lead to access the connector and couple the connector to the simulator. Once implantation is completed, the stimulator may be used to provide gastric stimulation therapy to the patient.